Stories
45-Minute Mid-Air Terror: How Passengers and a Dentist Saved a Bleeding Pilot on Flydubai Flight.
- •A terrifying attack occurred inside the cockpit of a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, leaving Indian pilot Captain Smit Machhar seriously injured.
- •Dr. Shota Musaev, a dentist on board, rushed to the cockpit and spent 45 grueling minutes trying to stop the captain's heavy bleeding and keep him conscious.
- •Brave passengers used headphone cords to overpower the attacker, and the flight was successfully diverted to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia.
- •According to the Indian Embassy, Captain Smit is now gradually recovering and his health is steadily improving.
Key Questions Answered
Indian pilot Captain Smit Machhar was severely injured in a violent cockpit attack during Flydubai Flight FZ1073. Despite his injuries, he managed to open the cockpit door so passengers and crew could intervene. The flight was diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, for an emergency landing.
Dr. Shota Musaev, a Georgian dentist on board, rushed to the cockpit and spent about 45 minutes applying pressure to the captain's wounds using a T-shirt and ice. He worked continuously to stop the bleeding, kept the captain conscious by talking to him about his children, and urged the crew to expedite the landing.
The co-pilot allegedly attacked Captain Smit Machhar with an aircraft crash axe. Brave passengers, including Dr. Shota Musaev, restrained the attacker using headphone cords and plastic ties. Subsequently, two standby or off-duty pilots entered the cockpit to help handle and stabilise the aircraft.
